Tag : Reduce(56)

Although aviation is a relatively small industry, it has a disproportionately large impact on the climate system. It accounts for four to nine per cent of the total climate change impact of human activity.

But at a time when we urgently need to reduce our impact, greenhouse gas emissions from aviation continue to grow. For example, since 1990, CO2 emissions from international aviation have increased 83 per cent. The aviation industry is expanding rapidly in part due to regulatory and taxing policies that do not reflect the true environmental costs of flying. “Cheap” fares may turn out to be costly in terms of climate change.

Do you throw clothes in the dryer instead of hanging them out? Do you buy takeout coffee on the run because you haven’t got the time to make your own? Do you put your kids in the car and drive them to school because you’re running late? Even when we know what is best, the vast majority of people still do what is easiest.

Ever since I read Wu’s thought-provoking article earlier this week, I’ve been mulling it over. It felt particularly relevant, since I just finished reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic Farmer Boy to my kids, which recounts a hard mid-19th-century farming life in upstate New York that is the antithesis of convenience. Everything takes an immense amount of work, and all tasks are interconnected and necessary for survival. I’ve realized that there are a number of ways in which convenience undermines humanity.

If you’ve made a vow to reduce your carbon footprint, you and your sweetheart can embrace sustainability on your big day, too. From saying “no” to shipping to cutting back on travel, you easily can throw a low-impact wedding celebration with environmental and social responsibility considered. Here are a few points of entry.

If you’re a family of four or more — or you have teenagers in the house — a big French door refrigerator can be a lifesaver. But there’s room to simplify in even the most bustling households. And for smaller families, empty nesters, singletons, and retirees, opting for a smaller fridge can almost go unnoticed. These “alternative” fridges use less energy, take up less space, and encourage you to waste less food. They’re also a much better fit for small kitchens and can help you add counter space.

Here are the reasons to consider an alternative to a big refrigerator.

Have a green Christmas this holiday season with decorations and celebrations designed to reduce waste while still conveying the spirit of the season.

Skip the Wrapping Paper

Don’t wrap gifts in single-use paper — it’s one of the largest contributors to waste during the holidays. Turn old maps, magazines, and book pages into creative gift wrap. Make reusable wrapping bags out of fabric in a few different sizes or purchase sturdy gift bags that can be used several times before recycling. For gifts that need traditional wrapping paper, opt for gift wrap made with recycled content.

Resilience is the ability of a system or community to withstand impacts from outside. An indicator is a good way of measuring that. Conventionally, the principal way of measuring a reducing carbon footprint is CO2 emissions. However, we firmly believe that cutting carbon while failing to build resilience is an insufficient response when you’re trying to address multiple shocks such as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis together.

The scientific evidence suggests that the world needs to achieve a full 80% absolute reduction in energy and material consumption even as we face additional population growth, up to 30% more people in the next few decades.

— William Rees, former Director of UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning